Find Resources

Education Abroad Research Topics

June 16, 2009By: Bea Szekely and Sabine Klahr

In response to questions from graduate students and others who
have inquired about possible data-related research topics, members of the Data
Collection Working Group have put together the following list:

Outcomes of study abroad

An outcomes
assessment of the real benefits derived from studying abroad as reported by
students could be done in focus groups or in a survey format. Benefits could
include: impact on post-graduate employability, impact on academic success,
impact on social attitudes, intergroup behaviour patterns, etc.

Foreign language enrollment and study abroad

What
types of study abroad programs are students participating in after what levels
of language study on home campuses? How many students abroad take all course
work in a foreign language, language course work in a foreign language and other
English-taught courses, or all course work in English?

Study
Abroad Program Types

How does study
abroad in various countries correlate with program types: direct enrollment in
post-secondary institutions, transnational course-based programs, transnational
or freestanding research and field study, and internship programs?

How do program types correlate with major
fields of students abroad? with language study and use? with types of sending
institutions?

Study abroad and Security Issues

How
many students study abroad in countries for which the US Department of State has
a current travel warning? What types of programs?

International
student participation in study abroad

What countries are international students from who
study abroad? where and what do they study?

Work Abroad

How do we begin to categorize, count and analyze work
and service abroad by young Americans in a yet-to-be-determined number of years
after graduation with a bachelor's degree? Can we correlate work abroad programs
with study abroad programs? And/or work abroad country destinations with study
abroad host countries?

Academic areas and study abroad

Do students take courses toward their majors while
studying abroad, especially in the non-traditional academic areas among students
who study abroad (engineering, education, mathematics, computer sciences,
agriculture, etc.)? What study abroad programs offer courses in non-traditional
academic areas? Do students change majors to an international field upon their
return?

Do study abroad returnees seek international employment
or employment with an international focus?

What
are the effects of study abroad after their return career/employment choices and
opportunities?

Decision Criteria

When
(and how) do students first learn about study abroad opportunities? When do they
make the decision to pursue the opportunity? What factors (major, home
institution, year in school, family background, age, gender, etc.) have
more/less influence on their decision to study abroad?

What makes
certain destinations more popular than others with students?

Sample
questions: Why do students choose very expensive programs, for example in Italy,
over less expensive ones elsewhere that are just as suited to their studies?
What is the attraction of Australia? Why is Austria not a common destination?
etc.

Demographic diversity among study abroad participants

How does diversity of various types (e.g. gender
or diversity) correlate with undergraduate major fields and study abroad
destinations and with Carnegie types of sending institutions and regions of the
United States? What types of programs do students with special needs utilize and
why?